Love is Clear to See
by T-Rexxy
Summary: Lucy Wilde, young and fledgling, is sent out to find a certain villain who just recently lost something very valuable. His eyesight. With him being blind, it will be easy to find out more about this man's evil plans. But can Lucy truly deceive her big idol by taking care of him while collecting information that could send him to prison? [ Gru x Lucy;; AU ]
1. Chapter 1

_Do you ever feel lonely?_

_Even when you're around people?_

* * *

><p>It was never easy, being the newbie. The strange,<br>stern glances they shoot at you, the occasional gossip, the laughter, the whisper. Been there, done that. Lucy had her share. But would she take it personally? No. Honestly, she would have done the same if some middle-aged, odd-looking woman just blurts into this huge building, strangled eagerness in her eyes to start a new, fresh way in her career, tip-toeing on high heels with her lanky body and the funny red hair through the halls and aisles and introducing herself to everybody as ' the new one.'

It didn't bother her, no. She came here to work – not to deal with immature behavior.

Lucy Wilde, thirty-five years old, freckled face and tiny, painted fingers, pressed the buttons of the elevator to drive up the long, monstrous building within the submarine. She didn't feel anything, no swaying, no motion-sickness while the machine moved through the pacific. Good, she thought. Sea-sickness during work would be the last thing she wished for. Day three of the week, and all she ever worked on was paperwork. Well, the unpleasant work for those agents that are not entrusted enough to take missions outside the league. Not that she had thought of anything else, she knew – she had to be patient. She had to be diligent. Prove herself as a potential super-agent. And everything started small, didn't it?  
>And her boss, Silas – he was great! Professional in every way, kind yet, and even though his british sophistication and roughness was probably misunderstood by most people, Lucy was glad to have someone like him around her who seemed to just want the best for her. Yes, it was almost like he was having his wings around her, protecting her from harm and fear. He wouldn't admit, she knew. But she always just saw the best in people.<p>

It was nearly lunch-time when Lucy finished her work and stretched her arms, cracking her knuckles, yawning. The day was still young and yet she felt like she had been working nearly ten hours non-stop. She figured that she should eat something to get her head clear and her tummy full. Inside, Lucy really didn't like the paperwork. It was hard and boring – after a few minutes you start to wish you actually could do anything, anything but this. Lucy, for example, wished she would be one of the big cheeses already – to catch villains, criminals, to run, do jump, to grab, to shoot – she was trained and fit in every muscle. It was certain that people would gnaw off their arm to have her in their team. But sadly, she yet had to prove herself – just how? She was forbidden to follow the other agents outside on missions. And other than the training ground, there were no other opportunities to move freely and show what she was capable of – what a shame though that Silas never visited the training ground and by now, she was too scared to ask him if he wanted to observe her. It was a curse. She would be stuck forever in this situation, stuck forever in the tasks she did currently – ordering files and folders and shredding paper. UGH!  
>In the cafeteria, she literally gobbled her food down. She needed energy, and especially the psychical strength to continue with her boring, dull tasks. Around her, she could see her co-worker chatting and laughing, sharing their experiences on their missions and their day and life. She sighed. She was alone. She had no friends, at least not yet, to share her 'great' experience in the AVL so far – shredding paper and looking over folders of people she never had seen and never will. It was kind of like they were avoiding the newbies in particular. But she didn't mind, she was sure at some point, she was going to be one of them. And as it seemed, it wouldn't take long – Lucy suddenly cringed by the loud buzzing on her new watch around her wrist. What seemed like a usual watch was a multi-functional tool she also used to receive messages. And, to her surprise, it was from Silas.<p>

" Miss Wilde, you may come to my office, this instant. "

* * *

><p>Nervous giddiness bubbled up inside the redhead as she bounced happily through the hallways to the elevator and up, up, up to Silas private office all at the top of the submarine. She always had wanted one of these offices – in the upper floor of a huge skyscraper, looking down on the tiny line that would be a street, and with the best sight outside at the city she worked in. But as she said to herself; patience. One day, perhaps, she would be up there. The elevator stopped and lucy stepped outside, into the large office that belonged to Silas. It was oddly simple, the desks and a big armchair, a few pictures on the walls, behind him the open riff with fishes swimming past the windowpane. It was beautiful. Nothing compared to the small office she worked in.<br>"Mister Ramsbottom?" she asked, shyly. The man turned around in his chair, facing the youngest agent. "Yes, hello, g'morning Miss Wilde. Please – 'ave a seat."  
>Lucy nodded and gulped, before she sat on the stool in front of the desk. She suddenly felt like she had shrunken down. Or maybe the chair was just too small for her.<br>" You have asked for me – may I help you with anything?"

"Yes, yes indeed, I did. And to answer your question; I 'ave a mission for you. Jus' for you."  
>Lucy squirmed in her chair in sudden excitement. A mission! Just for her?! JUST FOR HER ALONE?!<br>Her jaw dropped and her eyes went saucer, blinking at the other.  
>"Miss Wilde – close tha' before flies get in." he answered dryly and Lucy stammered a few words before closing her mouth, cleaning her throat awkwardly, but the bliss stayed.<br>"Y-You really – you really give me a mission? B-But sir, I—I mean I feel honored, I do! But – are you sure you – are you sure you want to give a single-mission to… me?"  
>"I dun' see a reason why I shouldn't, Miss Wilde." Silas turned slightly and dug inside his folders for the required information. Lucy's face heated up in rapture. Was she dreaming?! She was going to become an Agent after all?!<br>"Oh, Mister Ramsbottom, I'm – I'm feeling so honored, Sir, I-I can't believe you're doing this for—"  
>"Miss Wilde." The leader of the AVL said briefly, making lucy shush for the moment.<br>"E-Excuse me, Sir." She mumbled embarrassed over herself, blushing madly.  
>Ramsbottom merely shook his head, before he turned back to his folders, sorting out the required papers.<br>"But – may I ask you – how it comes you chose me? I mean …look at me. I am a newbi- the new one. All I have done is sorting files."  
>"I know – and that's why I thought about giving you something that would be perfect for you – and only you." Lucy jumped inwardly. Man, he knew how to make her tense, for she was literally bouncing in her chair.<p>

" 'ave you ever heard of the presently most famous villain, Gru?" he asked.  
>Lucy's heart jumped. Gru. Yes. Yes of course she knew him. She was literally his biggest fan! Every move this man made, every deed he did, every crime and theft and remarkably intelligently thought plan was followed by her. She invested much time in informing herself about him, had been studying his files a lot. It was wrong, admiring a villain when you're working for an organization that was established to catch these certain kind of people. But she couldn't help it – he was a huge inspiration for her, especially in her choice of jobs.<br>"Y-Yes, yes I do." Lucy nodded. Suddenly, she realized that this mission was probably about catching him. Or spying him out. She wouldn't do it of course if it wasn't for her job – but knowing the files, she was informed that his last great deed has been years ago and apparently, he started to live a normal life outside criminality.  
>"Good." Silas nodded. And with that, he passed her the file. Lucy stared at it as if it was pure hold. With itchy fingers, she grabbed it and opened it instantly. Her eyes scanned the text, soaked in every word and every information. And within seconds, her smile slowly faded. The words 'Caretaker' and 'personal nurse' appeared. And suddenly her throat felt dry and the excitement vanished into disappointment.<br>"Mister Ramsbottom—" she started with quivering lips.  
>"Miss Wilde, you may not have heard of it – but Mister Gru is the number one wanted villain of this league. Right now, we are very sure that Mister Gru is working on a new crime, our investigations tell us he's building a device that has the potential function to break the atmosphere of our planet."<br>Lucy looked up at Silas, slightly confused. "A rocket, Miss Wilde." He explained.  
>"S-Sure, but, uhm…Mister Ramsbottom – I don't understand." She closed the folder. "My files says something about 'caretaker' – I-I am not really grasping your idea behind this. Is this a spy-job?"<p>

Silas folded his fingers. "Why, yes it certainly is a spy-job, no doubt. You see, Mister Gru had a terrible accident some weeks ago while fighting off a second villain which information are not given yet. He lost his eyesight in this battle, along with a few more injuries. However, all we know is that he is still resident in his house and hasn't left it yet. Miss Wilde –" he leaned over the desk, his voice deep and deadly serious. " Mister Gru is blind, and this is your chance to prove yourself to be a potential spy. It will be easy to infiltrate you in his resident as his new caretaker, and from there on, you need to keep yourself around his hidden lair to gather information about his new plans."  
>"He lost his eyesight…?" she whispered, shocked by these information. A shudder ran down her spine. He, the man she admired, the villain she loved – he was blind. And she had to defraud him behind his back while he wouldn't even notice. Lucy's heart grew heavy, so heavy she gulped down the lump in her throat. Would she be able to do this? Would she be able to do this to him? To an helpless man, incapable of seeing a thing?<br>"Silas…" she looked back at the man, hoping to find at least a hint of regret in his eyes. But nothing. He was serious.

"I-I am honest with you, Sir, but – I don't know if I can do this."  
>Silas already stern glance darkened only more by her words. Lucy gulped again, but continued. "I-I don't feel like – like I am able to do this to an helpless man like him. To take care of him and then bring him into jail – furthermore…,"<br>Lucy got up from her chair, the file resting on Silas desk. "I am an agent – and not some nurse. I may be new to this organization, but I am not going to take care of the donkeywork."

Silas stared at her for a while, at the furrowed eyebrows of the redhead, before he chuckled softly.  
>"Miss Wilde – do you really think Mister Gru is a helpless old man? You forget that he is a criminal. A villain. Two days after his incident, he had left his 'ouse in the evening to finish what he had started and find his opponent – and the loss of his eyesight is not a bother to him. He still has his other four senses, and he will use all of them. Furthermore – this mission, my dear, is far more serious and dangerous than any mission I have ever given to any spy before you. You're going to expose yourself to a mildly handicapped person who would be able to kill you. I cannot guarantee you that Mister Gru will be foolish enough to trust your disguise, and as such I can also not prevent you from doin' an 'orrible job ad getting caught too easily. So think again when you're given the 'donkeywork'." Silas picked up the file again, holding it infront of Lucy's face.<p>

"I would advise you to start and train yourself in takin' care of blind people. Learn their ways of reading. Learn their ways of hearing. Learn their ways of living their lives without sight and depending on nothin' but their orientation sense, ears and hands. Learn to be like 'em and there will be a chance Mister Gru will trust you."  
>Lucy hesitated. She felt something which was an absolute taboo-word in her new job. Pity. She felt Pity for the man she was going to backstab. She felt pity for the villain she adored and still adores, felt pity for his condition and Silas plan.<br>Her brain told her to grab the file and go, but her heart was filled with anxiety.

Finally, her brain succeeded and she grabbed the file.  
>"Th-Tha-Thanks, Mister Ramsbottom. I will – I will get to this at once." She turned around, heading outside to the elevator<p>

"Miss Wilde?" Silas voice reached her and she looked back at him. "When you will come back successful, you'll return as a true, super-agent."  
>"S-Su-Sure." Lucy nodded, trying to feign happiness. But while she drove downwards again, all she felt was hatred.<br>And sadness.


	2. Chapter 2

_**[ Jus' so you know: This AU will be BEFORE Gru adopted the kids. In fact, the kids most probably won't happen to appear in this AU at all. Sry to all the Agnes/Edith/margo lovers out there.** _]

A month later, Lucy drove down the streets of Pasadena. The address she was given wasn't that far away from her own city – surprisingly Lucy literally lived near her idol all the time. But thinking about Gru made her heart heavy with grief. He lost his eyesight. He was blind! What if he was desperate in his state, helpless and alone? She remembered Silas words; he was not an helpless old man. Blindness was not a bother to him. Well, maybe, maybe not, fact was that Lucy was going to help him. Even if it was just a cover from her actual deeds – she had been reading a lot. About how people took care of themselves without the ability to see. For example braille. Or their advanced hearing. She researched about a man who was able to live his life from childhood to old age with the mere ability to hear, to listen. He had put wind chimes all over his house in different pitches. Following the sound of the chimes he was orientating around his own house, which was incredibly huge from what she had seen on photos. She drove her car into a small, hidden street up a hill.

The suburban neighborhood slowly appeared in front of her eyes. How she wished to live in one of these houses. All by herself, with a family, pets – instead, she was living in a tiny apartment with only two separate rooms, which were the bathroom and the bedroom. She hadn't had a garden. Nor had she a frontyard. Her neighbors were rude and loud and terrible, and looking at each of the people who were mowing their lawn or watering their flowers, she was sure this neighborhood was peaceful and friendly – of course, until Lucy's navigation system exclaimed that she had arrived. Lucy stared outside. Right in the middle of small, white houses stood a gigantic, monstrous, black-coated mansion, throwing a large shadow over her car. It had tons of windows, large, small, tiny ones, and each of them were covered by dark-red curtains, blocking any sight inside this house. The lawn was dead and dry – lucy innocently assumed it was because its owner was handicapped and wouldn't be able to take care of the chores. But on the other side – it seemed like it was dead for years already. Lucy gulped. This was it. This was Gru's house. This was the resident of her one and only idol she admired. And now she was here, ready to start her work. She exited the car, clutching her purse closer to her side. She was nervous. Not only nervous, but truly frightened. Silas had assured her that Gru would be informed about a new 'guardian', but would he try to harm her anyway? After all – he was a villain. And she knew that he had killed people. And if he would blow her cover – and if he truly wouldn't hesitate to harm her…

Lucy was caught in thoughts when she heard something like a snarl. Eyes darted around, trying to find the source of the sound, only to find a creature standing on the lawn, eyes narrowed and teeth bared. It didn't even come close to the idea of a canine. It was small, furry, its jaw was huge compared to the rest of its body. So were its limbs. But nevertheless, Lucy made a few steps back from the beast as it approached further, not intimidated by the size difference between the two.  
>"Hey, kssh, go away!" she hissed, but it didn't seem to bother it. Until Lucy made a sudden movement if her legs, stepping backwards and against her car. The dog, or whatever it was, yelped, turned around and vanished behind the house with howls and whimpers. Lucy blinked surprised. Well, barking dogs never bite, right?<br>Lucy adjusted her purse once again, taking the courage to approach the house once again as soon as she was sure the thing was gone. She stepped the dirty way up to the steps, up to the porch. And there she stood for a few seconds, staring at the dark wood. She gulped. Okay, relax, easy. You can do this, she told herself, rising her hand and pressing the doorbell. And then, nothing happened. For quite a while.

She was assuming Mister Gru was taking a while, after all, he was not able to see anymore, and this house was bigger than she had expected. She rang again. Nothing. Maybe he wasn't home? No, Silas told her he never left the house ever since that incident. Which was one month ago by now.  
>Lucy waited, and waited. But still, no sign of life. She continued to ring the doorbell and waited, but after five minutes without seeing or hearing anything inside this house, she felt discouraged. Biting her lip, Lucy tried to find a solution – driving back to the AVL? No, that would cost her the mission. Go back home? Rather not, Ramsbottom would find out she wasn't attending the mission anyway. She sighed frustrated, and turned around to leave. Until, suddenly, the door behind her opened. And she looked, quite startled, around to face him.<p>

His face. She knew it. She knew it from the day she heard his name the first time. Pale skin, dark shadows around his eyes, not a single string of hair on his head. And his nose was frighteningly pointy and long and would she take a step further, it would probably poke out her own eye.  
>She dared to stare back into his eyes. And a tiny gasp escaped her lips. His pupils, pale, grey, dull – lifeless. His left one showed a large crack inside, that ran from his pupil to his eyelid and over his brow. The skin had nearly recovered from the wound – his eyes didn't. The lump in Lucy's throat expanded to the moment she felt like she couldn't breathe. Gru, the villain of all villains, the master of crime and greatest mastermind of this century – he was here, and he couldn't see her. She noticed how sadness, fatigue and deeply hidden hatred were visible on his features. Gru stared back at her, slightly away from her face.<br>"Who are yu?" he asked in a hoarse, sinister voice that made Lucy quiver.  
>"M-Mi-Mister Gru?" she stammered, and saw as he turned his head slightly, still looking away from her. "M-Mister Gru, I-I'm L-Lucy Wilde, f-from the caretaker center." She said and was about to draw her fake-ID card, but for what purpose – he couldn't see it anyway. "I—uh, I was sent to you to h-help you a bit a-along, and –"<p>

Haven't I told yu idiots dat I dun't need yur goddamn help?" Gru cut her off. Lucy opened her mouth again, but didn't find a word, so she closed it. Oh dear – he was stubborn. Stay in character, Lucy, c'mon!  
>"I-I'm uh—" she mumbled helplessly. "M-Mister Gru, you're in need of help, and I can provide it. D-don't worry, I promise you, I won't be a bother. I will clean your house and take care of the chores, and –"<br>"No." Gru responded, his brows furrowing over narrowed pale eyes. " Mister Gru, listen, I –"  
>"I said no!" Gru barked back at her, and she nearly stumbled backwards down the stairs. His hand fished for the door, until he had a grip of it. "I dun't need anybody here, I dun't need help, I dun't need a caretaker, and I dun't need yu in particular."<br>And with that, the man slammed the door shut tight. Lucy was shocked. This was him, what did she expect? He was a villain, cruel, rough – but nevertheless, she felt tears of shock and frustration building up inside her eyes. She took a deep breath, before closing in to the door once again.  
>"Mister Gru! Mister Gru, please…" she kept talking, hoping dearly that he would hear her. "I know you don't want any help, I can understand – but I want to make sure you'll feel better. I can imagine you had a hard time the last few weeks, that is why I came. I want to make you happy."<br>Silence. Nothing. Lucy sighed. How dumb of her, talking to a door.

But what else should she do? This mission was so important, she couldn't abort it. No, never. This was her only chance to become a true agent, to become a part of the league. She had to impress Silas by any cost. And now, she felt powerless. She didn't even start her mission, and was already kicked out of his house.  
>"Mister Gru…" she started again, a bit softer. "Please, please give me a chance. I will not disappoint you, I promise. I will not bother you – it will be like I'm not here at all. You won't notice me, really."<br>And finally, Lucy felt a nudge at the door, as it opened once again. Her hands rested on her chest as once again, she started back at the blind man.  
>Eyes disoriented, they scanned the ground and the frame of the door, trying to fix his eyes at the unwelcomed guest.<br>"Fine." He murmured and turned around, walking back inside. Lucy felt like she was frozen to the spot, eyes watching as his big frame walked down the hallway of his mansion, before he turned around, visibly irritated. "For gods sake, come in a'ready before I change my mind!"  
>Lucy blinked in surprise, quickly stepping inside and closing the door behind her. She was astonished that he had noticed it in the first place. Looks like his senses of hearing were already trained to hear footsteps. Impressive.<p>

"I-I'll hang my coat on the hat-stand." She informed quickly, only hearing a small "Hmph" from Gru. She quickly scrambled out of her coat, looking around. His house was truly huge. Furniture she never had seen, articles from different places on this earth, hanging from the walls and standing around. Some of them were deadly. Gru wouldn't like it, but Lucy felt obliged to remove such objects at once, before he would hurt himself badly. She watched him, his hands on his back, before it extended to grope for something to orientate himself. He grabbed the doorframe to which seemed like a living room. She followed him inside, noticing the large room, the rhino-chair, the alligator couch, the vast TV and the pot with the dangerous looking carnivorous plant

His style was – strange. And not especially positively. But it was his home and the surrounding he felt accustomed to. Gru's hand never left the wall next to him, not even as he sat down on his armchair next to the open fire. He indicated her to sit as well. Lucy looked around and noticed the couch which was the closest to him.  
>"Thank you, Mister Gru. For a moment I really didn't know what I should do."<br>Gru's hands folded on his lap, eyes staring into the emptiness. "Uhm – s-so, uh, as I said before – My name is Lucy, Lucy Wilde. But you can just call me Lucy, if you like."  
>Gru still didn't answer.<br>"I was sent after I heard about your – _condition_. My boss already told me you wouldn't need help, actually, but – it's my job to offer it whenever I can, anyway. I must say, your house – it's…interesting." – "Thanks." Was his only response. "Oh yes, it certainly is. I mean – I had other cases before, but yours is – honestly the coolest."  
>She covered her mouth from the slip of professionalism and also Gru seemed to arch a brow above white eyes.<br>"Fo-Forgive me. Uhm…anyway, in future, I will clean for you, cook for you, make sure you can handle the everyday tasks without being able to see. And of course, I'll teach you braille and -"  
>"I dun't need braille." Gru answered bluntly. "I know exactly how to read vithout eyes."<br>"O-O-O-of course, M-Mister Gru." Lucy nodded quickly. "A-Anyway, I will make sure your life will be as easy as possible for you, with your new – condition. And uhm – I shall start with doing some changes around the house, if you don't mind. Such as… such as the objects in your house. Many of them are very dangerous, you could hurt yourse-"

"No." Gru shook his head. "No changes around dhe house!"  
>"Mi-Mister Gru, please understand, Some of these artifacts are seriously harmful. The iron maiden, for example, you could accidentally –"<br>"No! I said no! No changes, goddamn! Yu will not touch anythin' of my stuff, did yu hear me ?!" Gru growled at her as he rose from his chair, making Lucy jump up from her spot, her knees hardly knocking against a small table. The valuable looking vase on top tumbled and dropped to the floor, shattering into million pieces. Lucy froze in shock and fear, hands covering her mouth. Gru's eyes were fixed on the ground where he heard the crushing of marble. Lucy stared back at him.  
>"I-I-I'm…I'm s-so-so sorry…" she whispered, watching s Gru's eyes narrowed.<br>"Wa-wait, I-I'll clean the mess—"  
>Lucy knelt down and started collecting the pieces, before she suddenly felt a rough hand grabbing her shoulder, pulling her harshly away from the shards.<br>"Beat it!" he hissed. Lucy fell to the ground, watching as Gru knelt down himself, hands running over the carpet to find the shards and collect them. Lucy felt tears swelling in her eyes, but she repressed them, standing up to approach him again.  
>"Mister Gru, please stay away, I'll do this—"<br>"No!" he turned around, eyes fixed on the couch next to her. "I dun't need yur help, I'm not a bloody retard!"  
>Lucy gulped. "Mister Gru, I never thought of you as a retard."<br>"Yes, yu bloody did! And yu bloody still du – yu honestly think I can't take care of myself? Dat I need a stranger intrudin' my house and my business?!"  
>With the shards in his hand, his fist clenched until blood emerged and ran down his fingers. Lucy gasped. "Mister Gru, your hand—"<br>"Jus' for yur information, yu wannabe nurse. I dun't need yu. Nobody needs yu here!"

And with that, he turned around, carrying the shards off and out of the livingroom.  
>Lucy was left behind and tears ran down her face without her noticing. The tension has snapped and leaving her, face burning, knees wobbly, eyes watering uncontrollably.<br>She should leave, she figured. Grabbing her purse, she slowly exited the livingroom, walking down the hallway to grab her coat, put it over her shoulders and heading to the door, slowly opening it. She bit her lip and swore not to do it, but she looked over her shoulder again, hoping to find Mister Gru again. But no. She didn't know where he was. And before she would continue to anger him, she quietly left closing the door behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

"Miss Wilde?"  
>Lucy looked up from her desk. She was quietly munching on her toast she got from the cafeteria and had returned to work over the files for her mission. A few younger co-worker she never had seen smiled down at her, holding their meals in their hands. "Ain't you the one who is taking the mission with that gru-guy."<br>"Yes, that's me." Lucy sighed, her inner peace disturbed and her heart feeling heavy by the mention of him.  
>"Wow, that's so cool – I didn't think you would be the one Silas was giving that task, but – look at you. You did it, you literally got the top-mission."<br>Lucy smiled a weary smile. She did it. Yeah. Totally. After literally being kicked out of his house…It was true, ever since that incident, lucy didn't dare to approach it again. She had hid in her office and worked on more paperwork, and when someone was asking, she was confirming she was working enough already. Her first encounter with Gru had been nearly three days ago by now. She did as he requested – she stayed away from him. Although deep inside of her, she felt guilt. And concern. She had told herself already that this was Gru she was talking about, a villain, a master of his skills – the way he seemed to move, to coordinate himself…it was impressive. And she felt like her help wasn't required after all. Yet, she couldn't help but honestly worry about him. He was blind. And she still had a job to finish.

However, without asking, the group of agents sat down at her table, asking her various questions about her mission, about Gru himself and if he had tried to kill her and whatnot else. Lucy nearly didn't listen. Her mind was somewhere else. She was thinking, trying to decide whether she should go back to that house, back to him, or leave him in peace. She was an agent after all, she had her little spy-toys and tools, and if she was eager for something, she wouldn't hesitate until she would get what she wanted – and that was free access into his lab.

At the end of lunchtime, Lucy grabbed her purse, her lipstick-taser, her files and fake-ID card, jumping into her car and driving outside the submarine back to the shore. It was ridiculous. Nothing would shake her off so easily. Neither a grumpy villain that was unable to see, nor her own anxieties. She was sure – he wouldn't harm her. These guys she spent her lunch-break with were certain that she was in great danger, and that he could kill her any time. She wasn't scared of him. Not anymore. If kindness wouldn't help with this man, then stubbornness should do the trick!

She drove up to his mansion, being greeted by that strange looking creature once again, but Lucy made a big, yet still cautious step towards it. It yelped in surprise and turned around to hide in the bushes. She had to ask Gru about this thing – it obviously was his…dog…cat…thing. Maybe it was just hungry, she couldn't imagine Gru was able to provide it food and water. However, she stepped onto his porch once again, ringing the doorbell. For a while nothing happened before the door opened and the same face appeared in the doorframe. Gru's eyes fluttered around, as if his pale eyes tried to locate a fly that was flying around his face. Lucy was about to respond, as his features darkened, eyebrows furrowed. "Yu again…" he hissed. Lucy was dumbfounded. How did he know it was her? She hadn't had said a word to him, and yet he recognized her?

"H-How did you –"  
>"Yur heartbeat." He answered dryly. "I can hear it." Lucy didn't quite understand, but before she could ask him, he had turned around, the door open, walking back inside his house. He didn't throw the door close. She could enter.<br>"M-Mister Gru, I know you don't like the idea of me helping you, but I will not – and you better remember it – tolerate the way you're speaking to me."  
>"Boo-hoo." Gru answered and rolled his eyes. "Dhen yu better get used to it, or yu can leave again."<br>Lucy snorted angrily, closing the door behind her and throwing her coat more or less neatly over the hat stand.  
>"Mister Gru, you will accept my help, and I won't hear any gainsay from you, did you hear me."<br>"I already told yu – I dun't need yur help."  
>"Yes, you do, and you definitely need to – oh my god, Mister Gru!"<br>Lucy's hands flew to her mouth as she suddenly noticed it. Blood stains on the carpet. Leading up to the man in front of her. His hand. It was bleeding.  
>" Mister Gru, your hand!"<p>

Gru looked behind his shoulder, before looking down at his hand – at least he thought it was. With his other hand, he examined the other, almost not noticing the blood he stained his knuckles with. Until his fingertips touched the space between his index-finger and his thumb and cringed in pain.  
>"Is it-bleedin'?" he asked. "Yes, yes it is." Lucy nodded. "I-I'll be right back." He muttered. "Oh no, no!" Lucy lashed for his arm, pulling him back to her. "You come into the kitchen with me, right now!"<br>"Let go of me, woman!" Gru growled loudly, trying to get rid of the tiny hands that were yet quite forcefully and strongly pulling him into the other direction. "I said let go!"  
>The villain pushed her aside, but she was still clinging to him. "I said I dun't need yur bloody help!"<br>"I don't care!" Lucy growled back at him and he silenced for a second. She used her chance of his deadpan glance to finally drag him down the hallway into the kitchen, closing the door behind them.  
>"Sit." She said, shoving him to the table.<br>"Make me." He growled.  
>"SIT!"<p>

Gru winced, sitting down finally. Lucy turned to look at the kitchen, hoping to find anything here she could use. She was already spooked out by his living room – this place here was even worse. Knives, corkscrews, scissors hung from the ceiling around a cage, and one wrong movement would kill her instantly. It looked like nobody has touched this place for a while; it was tidy, yet too tidy as if she would bet he had used anything here in the last few months. She honestly wondered how he was surviving then. Lucy started looking around for a first aid kit, but not such luck. This guy was seriously living dangerously in his very own house! Knives hanging from the ceilings, weapons on the wall and on the hallways, a spiked iron maiden in his living room – what was he even thinking when she said she wanted to take this all off so he would be safer around his residence ?  
>"You got any iodine around here? And a cloth?"<br>"Shuld be over dhere…" Gru murmured and pointed at the fridge. "Dhere, at dhe cupboards."  
>Lucy bit her lip. The cupboards were on the other side of the room. She suddenly felt between frustration for this man deep inner sorrow. She was sure he did anything to suppress the fact he couldn't see anymore, and denied every help she could offer. But this was not about him – this was about her mission. She would make sure she would make him some lunch and give him anything to distract him while she would start collecting information. She reached for the cupboards and opened it. She found anything she needed, a bottle full of iodine, bandages, scissors…<p>

"Mister Gru, where did this happen?"  
>"Vhat?" he mumbled.<br>"Where did you get that wound."  
>"If I wuld know, I wuld have taken care of dat before yu jus' stormed inside here."<br>She huffed, taking the entire first aid kit to the table he was sitting at.  
>"Mister Gru, we have to take the weapons off of the walls."<br>"No." he muttered in a dangerously dark tone.  
>"Yu wun't touch anythin'."<br>"- and what about the floor?" she teased him.  
>"Ugh, yeah, yu may touch dhe floor."<br>"What about the air?"  
>"Yes, yu may touch dhe air." He rolled his eyes so hard, she could tell it a smirk, she sat down next to him, carefully reaching for his hand. As her fingers collided with his knuckles, he pulled back, glaring into the emptiness, probably hoping he was looking at her face.<br>"Hey, it's okay, I won't bite." She assured him with a softer voice than before.  
>"Not yu." He muttered back.<p>

Lucy chuckled, before she reached to take his hand once again. It was big, much bigger than her own. Strong and able to do wonders. For a while she just stared at them, at the details of his skin and marks, before she took the cloth to clean the wound from blood and dirt. He squirmed uncomfortably in his seat, but she continued. Just by now, she realized what she was doing here. The man she admired was sitting across from her, his hand in her own, adoring secretly the complexity of the tiny scars and scratches on his fingertips, his bones emerging through the back of his hand. For a while, she just focused on cleaning his hands from the bloodstains, but with the time, her fingers started running patterns over his own. Her heartbeat increased so suddenly to a loud, excited pumping that she recoiled from him for a second, the cloth still in her hand. Her eyes nervously darted up to meet his face. He didn't look at her. His eyes just scanned emotionlessly the surroundings, not intending to grasp anything with his glance. She hoped he wouldn't notice the way she suddenly seemed to feel so scared, nervous and shaky.  
>"I-I-I'll put the iodine on your hand now. It will hurt, but…" she stopped, taking the bottle to poor some of it on the cloth, taking his hand once again.<p>

He didn't budge, didn't even look at her – at least until she pressed the iodine-soaked cloth on the open wound on his hand. Gru hissed in pain, his free hand clenching in a fist. She removed the cloth again, but once he settled, she repeated the movement. Suddenly, Gru snatched his arm away from her, his hand violently lashing for hers to grip her wrist painfully tight. Luc yelped and tried to break free from his grasp. Shocked, she started up at him, his pale eyes piercing right through hers in a beastly glare. It was the first time he actually looked into hers. And right into hers. A chill of fear and amazement ran up and down her body,her mouth opened to emit a small sound: "Mi-Mister…Gru…?" she whispered under her breath.  
>Gru's ice cold stare seemed to soften again, his grip around her arm loosened. Once again, his eyes twitched around, away from her, staring into the emptiness. His hand slipped powerlessly from hers.<br>Lucy stared down at his wound and back to his face, but he was practically avoiding her glance.  
>A few moments of silence came over them like a shadow. She did not understand what this man went through, and what this other villain had done to him that he would lose his eyesight and react like this to pain; but she would find it out. Not now. But soon. Her fragile fingers slowly reached for his hand again, this time, he didn't flinch. She turned it in her palm, running the cloth over his flesh. The pain had ebbed away, and besides an occasional hiss in pain, he stayed silent. So did she. Until the need to talk to him again to relief the awkwardness became too big -<p>

"Mister Gru, I—"  
>"I cut my hand on dhe spear in dhe hallway." He suddenly interrupted her. Lucy stopped her movements. "I was…holdin' onto dhe wall and didn't notice dhe armor in my way."<br>Lucy blinked. Right, the knight-armor she saw in the corridor…He had this large spear in his hand, sharp on every edge, and standing low enough to cut through flesh when someone was foolishly holding onto it. Gru looked further away from her. Was that guilt in his voice? Was he feeling guilty? She didn't believe he truly felt this way, by now she was aware of the character this man was. Grumpy. Rude. Blunt and ruthless. Truly despicable, she would think. But what did she expect – he was a villain. He still was. And yes, by now she was pretty sure that Gru would not stop himself from harming her if he wanted to.  
>And nevertheless, she felt the need to protect him, from himself mostly. And help him.<br>"Mister Gru, please…we have to remove every sharp object in this house."  
>"I dun't want anythin' in my house to be removed, is dat clear?" Gru snarled back, but this time Lucy wasn't undeterred by him. That's it. No more mister nice lady. "Now listen here, Gru, and listen closely - If you keep declining my help, or refuse to prevent you from dangerous situations, I will flipping get mad and you don't want to experience this, I tell you, young man! You will let me at least cover the sharp edges of every little furniture in this goddamn house or you'll cut your throat by accident faster than I could say ' holy crap on a cracker' , <strong><em>IS THAT CLEAR?!<em>**"  
>Lucy had her finger risen in the air, her hand firmly on the table, and she had stood up from her place while speaking. Gru, on the other side, had sunken deep into his seat, a quite disturbed glance on his face. A few seconds of silence in complete awe – on both sides – before Gru muttered a resigning: "Vhatever."<p>

Lucy sunk back on her seat, not showing any surprise she felt at the moment – he gave in. He said yes. Well, kind of. But nevertheless, she had defeated his stoic self – even if it was about a single little thing. "Good. Thank you."  
>She grabbed for the bandage and wrapped it carefully around his hand, tying the ends in a knot. Even when she was finished, she kept on holding his hand in her tiny ones, pretending to smooth down the bandages over his hand – but all too late she noticed she was once again caught in this moment of holding hands with the villain she dreamed of every day. Gru's eyes darted down on the table, staring at the spot where his hand was covered by hers like a secure blanket. Something in them sparkled in melancholy – and Lucy could clearly see that this must be one of those moments where Gru wished nothing more but to see.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

With an exhausted sigh, Lucy collapsed in the rhino-chair. Her hair stuck to her forehead, her hand holding a roll of tape. She did it. Every little sharp corner, every edgy rounding was covered neatly in see-through bubble wrap. Yes, it was not very pretty – but at least he wouldn't get harmed again. She wiped the sweat away from her forehead, smiling satisfied.  
>"Alright, Mister Gru." Lucy said across the room, turning in her armchair. "I covered everything neatly, that incident from yesterday won't ever happen aga—"<br>She suddenly paused by the moment she noticed the man she had told to sit on the couch and wait was fast asleep. His body lying flat, head turned towards the cushion, his hands folded on his chest, slowly lifting and lowering again with each breath he took. Lucy's shoulders slumped down again. She waited a few seconds hoping her speaking didn't wake him up – luckily, it didn't.

With a tiny smile, she leaned back inside his rhino-chair again and stared around the room. The harsh edges of the frame around the open fire were coated in bubble wrap, the spikes of the iron maiden covered with tennis-balls. The sharp fangs of the stuffed viper in his room sunk deep into two baseballs she found lying around the room. Strange … She knew he was living alone, he hadn't had any children, nor a wife, and nevertheless, she could find toys like balls, bats, Frisbees and even banana peels lying around and vanishing sometimes. Maybe there were children secretly playing in his garden? She remembered when she used to sneak into her neighbors backyards to play hopscotch. Her parents never allowed her to draw the lines on the ground behind their house. A tiny smile crossed her features, before she sighed, placing the tape and the foil on the tea-table next to her, standing up and walked down the few stairs to the couch.

She had enjoyed the silence – but she remembered that there was a job to do. Yes, she was literally waiting for such a moment. She could run around freely in this house now and find the entrance to his lab. As quickly and quietly as she could, she moved to the walls, hands roaming over the surface, her head pressed against the wall to listen. She grabbed behind the furniture, stuck her fingers in the tiniest gaps, she pulled books and lifted vases, she even started to look into each mouth of the Venus flytrap that closed it with a hungry snap when lucy's nose accidentally touched one of their teeth. She looked behind the TV, she even started to press buttons on the remotes but besides turning on the screen, nothing happened. What if the entrance wasn't here – but somewhere else in this house? In the kitchen, maybe? Or in the garden? In the restroom, or his bedroom…?

She frowned, looking back at him on the couch. Somehow, she felt incredibly uncomfortable to just sneak through his residence and invade his personal space. Not to think what he would do when he caught her sniffing around the rooms. With a slight shake of her head, she ignored these feelings. This was not about feeling awkward and bad, this was about finding enough evidence to bring a potential criminal and enemy of the world behind bars before he would put his plans into action. Thus, she quietly moved away, her foot suddenly bumping harshly against the head of the panda-fur lying on the floor, she gave a short gasp and tried to cling to anything – unfortunately, it was a cupboard filled with strange animals in glasses. The jars clinked hardly and Lucy froze. Oh gosh, that definitely woke him up, didn't it? She almost didn't dare to move, but her head moved to look over her shoulder. Gru mumbled something, then he turned around to rest his back against the cushions, his face turned towards her. His eyes still closed, his arms looped around his body like he was holding himself for comfort. Just now she had time to have a better glance at this man. Some people would have called him hideous – she found him handsome. She had seen photos of him in his younger years, where he still had hair. Honestly, he looks much better bald. She couldn't define why. Maybe it just made his skin appear softer and his face outstanding. The rough scars, or what has remained, on his eyebrow, his cheeks and around his forehead had faded to pale strikes and yet Lucy couldn't help but find they made him more attractive. She was aching to touch them. She was aching to touch his hand again, his arms, his biceps and his chest. And holy cow, he did have a chest. She wondered if he was working out – well, obviously he was. Or has in the past.

Just thinking to lay her hands on it made her fingertips tingle in excitement. That sweater he wore was just underlining his contours, the muscles on his upper arm and his shoulders. And now that she was here, with him, she had the chance – the chance to touch him. To feel him; the man she knew since she was a little girl, the man she venerated – and loved – was here, sleeping, so close and yet so far. For she knew that he would never, ever see something else in her than a bother.  
>Curiosity took over as she strode over to his sleeping form and knelt down in front of him.<br>A few moments passed with Lucy staring at his closes eyelids, watching his eyes beneath moving and rolling in his dreams. She wondered what he dreamed. She hoped he dreamed anything at all – it was the only place where he still would see. Where he wasn't blind. Her heart suddenly started aching at this thought. He was so strong. So enduring. Not a single time she heard him complain about his condition, not a single time did she hear him grief or mourn. He had fought so bravely, even if it was just against another villain, and paid a price for something cherished that was indispensable. His vision.

Shaky hands extended, fingertips slowly approached his arm. She touched the fabric of his sweater, carefully, riding over the lines, up and down his biceps. He didn't move, he just continued breathing softly. Thus, Lucy grew bolder. With a few seconds of stretching the moment, she laid her hand on his arm, continuing to run it up and down over the bulge of muscles at the top of his shoulders. It was firm and yet soft, she could feel it right through his sweater. She noticed he stiffened slightly, but relaxed again, making a small noise before growing silent again. She rode her hand up his arm once again, making a circle over his shoulderblade. She could actually feel his bones sticking out from beneath his skin. Her body trembled for a second as her heart started pounding harder, her palms sweaty. Gru squirmed slightly, opening his lips slightly to draw a low breath. Lucy's hand continued running circles around his back, and up to his shoulders again. Strong, big shoulders…Lucy gulped, before continuing to run lazy patterns around his collar, caressing squeezing slightly to feel the muscles beneath. Gru's breathing became louder. And with her fingers gently scratching over the surface of the fabric and all down to the skin of his neck, he gave a dark, low and hoarse moan. Lucy's spine quivered so hard, she stopped for a moment to savor the tone in his voice, eyes fluttering close, hand roaming all over his shoulder to his cheek, knuckles gently caressing over the side of his face.

And when she opened her eyes again, everything suddenly and oddly stopped. Her hand still lingering close to his face, she froze on the spot as she noticed grey, pale eyes staring straight into hers, piercing through her green one's. Seconds as long as hours, they stared at each other in awkward shock and surprise. Gru didn't budge, neither did she. Until his eyebrows lowered to an irritated furrow.  
>"Vhat du yu think' yu're doin'…?" he growled sinisterly. Lucy still didn't dare to move, nor to breath. Eyes fluttered in rapid motions up and down, large lashes brushed over her skin, her mouth opened, and closed, resembling the motions of a fish. "—I-I-I-" she stuttered helplessly.<br>Before she knew what happened, Gru had grabbed her wrist forcefully and pushed it away from him.  
>"Dun't touch me!"<br>Lucy yelped and tumbled backwards on her bum, sitting up straight again. He jumped off the couch, straightening his sweater and glaring down at the ground where he supposed was sitting Lucy.  
>"M-Mi-Mister Gru, I'm –"<br>"Is dhere a specific reason yu woke me up?" he mumbled, trying to ignore the previous happenings. Lucy bit her lip.  
>"A-ah…yes, uhm, I-I meant to inform you that I covered everything neatly. You won't be harming yourself anymore." She got up as swiftly as she could and repressed the tears that formed inside her eyes for a moment. Gru gave a muffled huff, eyes roaming around the living room as if he could actually see where Lucy had made modifications.<p>

She herself was desperately trying to not show how hurt she was by his rough behavior. Her wrist hurt from his death-grip and she still could hear his voice, the moan he gave, and the feeling of his body against her fingers.  
>"Good…" he mumbled and turned towards her again. He couldn't see it, naturally, but yet something told him there was a certain shift in the air once he had turned back towards her. Was she … crying ? He gulped. Ugh, great, now he had an emotional female wreck sitting here. He hated whiny people, and especially he hated consoling them. A single tear she couldn't keep inside her eyes escaped her and rolled down her face, she sniffled silently and brushed it away from her cheek, before she looked back at him with a smile. Not that he would notice it anyway, but she did it anyway. Gru moved closer to her, his expressions had softened up a notch. And then…he gripped for her arm. Gently, this time – softly pulling her along. "Come – yu gotta show me vhich areas yu secured."<p>

Lucy was downright astonished by the sudden swing of mood he had, but she didn't bother, she quickly followed him, taking charge of guiding him through the house. She showed him the secured areas of the hallway, the armor she wrapped entirely in bubble-foil, the swords and the sharp teeth of the lion-head hanging on the walls, the iron maiden she secured with tennis balls and the vipers teeth and for the first time since she had ever been in this house and around him, she heard him laugh softly and briefly. And the feeling to cry was gone instantly, replaced by a happy smile. While she showed him what else she wrapped in foil to pretend him from hurting himself, it suddenly turned to become a guiding tour through his house. Gru showed her the upper floor with the many doors, the bedroom, the bathroom, the few empty chambers he used to store weapons and other stuff – Lucy was mildly fascinated by the man's house. And his attitude. She could imagine it was because of her crying that he looked for distraction, but honestly – she didn't care. He was so much friendlier by now; well, he was still grumpy and rude and talked as if her mere presence was bugging him, but at least he started smiling in between. He explained his 'uncle' had left all these things in this house when Gru came to live in here. A bad lie that lucy saw through instantly. She knew exactly where each of these artifacts came from and when and where he stole them. Being a fan of him, she should know.  
>When asking if there was a basement, he just blinked, looked around the room and then shook his head. No, there is no basement, he said. And Lucy huffed inconspicuously. Darn, she was on this mission for more than five days already and hadn't had collected any information so far about a supposed plan on building a rocket. If Gru indeed was secretly contriving something behind secret walls, he was quite good at hiding it.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

"Mister Gru, do you have children?"  
>Lucy lowered the newspaper on her lap and her teacup on the table next to her to look at him. Gru's head bobbed up, eyes looking around. He himself had been reading. That book she gave him, which was just written in braille. Ever since lucy convinced him to read again, if not with his eyes but with his fingers, he was engulfed in this literature. Lucy didn't know what it was about, but the title read something about Galileo, and after all, he was downright fanatic with the stars and astronomy.<br>"Children…?" he asked flabbergasted. "Uh, no, I dun't. Vhy are yu asking?"  
>"Well…" Lucy looked outside the window. "I have noticed there are toys lying around sometimes. Baseballs and bats and Frisbees and such. And there are banana peels lying all around the house. So, I was curious."<br>Gru squirmed in his seat. "Or are there neighbor kids?"  
>"Uhm…no." Gru shook his head. "At least none vhich wuld come here."<p>

"Well, that is strange…" she mumbled, looking out at the street and the other front yards. People were cheerfully trimming their lawns and bushes and trees, watering the flowers, speaking to other neighbors, coloring their fences…  
>She doubted Gru was that sort of person who would greet his neighbor or take care of the chores – even before he went blind.<br>And that no one dared to be around his house was comprehensible in some way.  
>"Well, maybe there are children around here who believe this house is abandoned – and spend their school-breaks here."<br>Gru just nodded, but she felt like he was hiding something from her.  
>"And uhm – I haven't seen your dog around here for a while now." - "I dun't have a dog."<br>"You don't?" she skeptically raised her eyebrow.  
>"No." he shook his head, and kept reading.<br>"Then why is there a leash hanging at the door?"  
>Gru rolled his eyes. "I HAD a dog."<br>"Really, what happened to him?"  
>"Chemical mutation of his DNA." He mumbled under his breath.<br>"Pardon?" Lucy asked.  
>"He ran away."<p>

"Ah I see. Well, then I wonder who this weird, green creature I saw behind your house when I arrived here belongs to. He kinda looked like a dog, you know? With long ears and tiny limbs and green, shaggy fur and –"  
>"I said I dun't have a dog, stop naggin' me vith dis stuff!"<br>Gru suddenly was up on his feet and angrily marched out of the living room.  
>"Gru, come on, i'm sorry I didn't mean to nag you. Where are you going?"<br>"Gonna remove dat junk from my yard." He growled and vanished in the hallway. But just two seconds later, she heard a terribly loud thud and Gru yelping in pain.  
>"Ouch! Ah, Shit!"<br>"Mister Gru!" Lucy gasped, and followed. Gru leaned against the wall, holding his aching nose.  
>"Oh…" Lucy understood – and couldn't help but laugh. She held her hand before her mouth to prevent it, but it didn't help.<br>"Haha, very funny." Gru murmured. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She joined him to help him up but he denied her help. "How did this happen?"

"I dun't know, looks like I misjudged dhe distance from dhe wall.  
>Lucy gently patted his upper arm, and it seemed to comfort him a little. It was pretty much the first time he was okay with her touching him, because he simply let it happen, instead of pushing her away or yelling at her.<br>"Did that ever happen before?" she asked, her voice a bit lower than before.  
>"Kinda…" he shrugged. "How often…?"<br>"I- I stopped countin'."  
>"Oh dear…" she went from patting to gently caressing his shoulder, and even this was okay with him, at least for a few moments before he moved away from her. "It's alright, I can manage." -"You sure?" she asked. "Because otherwise, we could –" she stopped, hoping that idea would not anger him further. "We could put up robes you could orientate on."<br>"I'm not a bloody dog!" he creased his face in indignation. "No; I didn't mean like a dog – I mean that we put robes on the walls you can grab and hold onto and follow them, you know?"  
>Gru rolled his white eyes. "I said it's okay, I really dun't need dis stupid –"<br>he was just about to leave for the living room again, as he ran straight against the knight-armor, which collapsed straight away. The helmet flew off the top and landed straight on Gru's head.  
>"OUCH!" Gru yelped and backed away, bumping into Lucy who caught him."Oh dear, are you okay?" she asked and turned him around to face her.<br>"Hrrrrm." Gru grumbled while rubbing over the aching spot on his skull. "Do you need ice on it?"  
>"No." he shook his head and looked on the ground.<br>"Looks like I gotta fix that one too…" she mumbled as she looked over his shoulder to the armor. "But we'll go and get you the robe now, before you run into that man-eating flytrap."

With that, she pulled him outside to the backdoor, opening it and leading him into the garden. She made sure she would kick the abandoned skateboard and bucket away before he would tumble over them. It was a wonderful day, she figured, the sun was shining, the air was warm and a fresh wind was rushing over the trees around them. Oh, if he only could see it just one more time…  
>"Do you have robes in the shed?" she asked. "I shuld have some dhere." He answered and Lucy walked up to the tiny, crooked shed that was just as gloomy and dark as the mansion itself. As she opened it, a cloud of dust emerged, and a bat flew out into the air, scared by the sudden disturbance. Looks like it wasn't used for years. No wonder the entire back and front yard looked like the plague had killed all life in it.<br>"My goodness." She mumbled. "This is a mess."  
>"It probably didn't look better dhe last time I looked inside." Gru added. But Lucy nevertheless looked inside and started searching for robes.<br>Gru himself was waiting, taking in a deep breath of the warm, nice wind that brushed his cheek. He missed these occasional walk he had made in the neighborhood and around the town, he missed popping little children's balloons and stealing their candy. He missed freezing the line in front of the coffeeshops to get his breakfast as fast as possible…he missed all of this and now, all he could do was sitting in his house and waiting to age and die as a lonely, blind man. He never wasted a thought about having someone around him, but now that there was nothing else he could do, he was afraid. Afraid of being alone. But…she…was always there. It comforted him on a spiritual level. He knew the minions wouldn't talk to him anymore, not since he had hurt one of them in a anger-fit. And Nefario? It had become seldom he was showing up in the house at all. He was busy with the plans for his great heist. And he? The one who was going to do commit this crime, to steal the moon? He was not even capable of walking around his own house without bumping into the walls.

"Ah, I found it!" Lucy pulled out the stack of robes and held them in the air.  
>But Gru didn't answer. She noticed he was too distracted with staring into the emptiness, away from her, away from the robes or the shed. He just stood there, his grey-black scarf gently waving with the wind, staring far into the unknown. He was thinking. Or dreaming, she figured. He did this a lot, staring anywhere, eyes narrowed mildly, brows furrowed, not listening when she was talking to him. She wondered what he was thinking about… she wouldn't ask, and wouldn't try to figure it out, it was impossible anyway. With the mildest touch, she touched his sleeve – but he didn't budge. Maybe…?<br>Her hand slowly glided down to meet his palm, and her fingertips gently brushed over his thumb and against the back of his hand. That seemed to wake him up, for he cringed and turned around, and lucy removed her hand from his.  
>"I'm sorry." She apologized in advance. "For vhat?" he asked.<br>"I—Uhm…" she hunched her shoulders, shook her head and tried to light up the awkwardness. "Are you alright? You seemed a bit distracted."  
>"Jus' ponderin'." He mumbled. "Uh-about what?"<br>"About my future…"  
>Before Lucy could ask any further questions, he grabbed the rope from her hand and headed just straight away, hoping it was the entrance of his house. But Lucy had to tug on his arm a bit to guide him into the right direction.<p>

Back inside, Lucy started to find hooks or anything she could hang the rope on. The livingroom was huge and barely anything hung on the wall she could use.  
>"Do you have any hook-screws and a screwdriver for me?"<br>"No screws on my wall." – "But how else am I going to-" "No screws! Gotit?"  
>Lucy sighed. Gosh, this man was stubborn. Apparently even if he could not see them, he was totally against changes, now was he? Well, on a certain level she could relate – especially about drilling some nails into these old walls. But what else was she supposed to do?<br>After a few more tries to convince him, they both agreed with fixing the screws with tape and glue and Lucy gladly grabbed everything she needed.  
>She marked the spots with an X, all around the wall, to the hallway and up the stairs, to the bedroom and the bathroom to his hidden office at the top of the second floor and even outside to the garden. But not around the house, he insisted. It would look terrible and would only make the neighbors curious. Especially that one certain neighbor he hated with a passion, her name was Jillian. While Lucy put the screws on the wall, he was telling her about the people living around his own house, about Fred and his dog who was using his yard as a personal restroom, about his tendency to clean anything around him, and his stupid try to make Gru visit the church.<br>"He's like a real-life Ned Flanders." he explained and Lucy laughed.  
>And then there was Jillian, who made it her task to find all singles around Pasadena for him to hook up with. Of course, being too busy and not interested in dates at all, he declined every woman she was introducing him to. And even though Gru told her a hundred times that she was not welcomed, her and her friends.<br>"Why are you not interested in dates at all?" she asked while watching him as he helped her putting the robe on the hooks. It was so nice of him, seeing him helping her for the first time. "Furst of all – I dun't have time for dis. I'm a hard workin' man who sits day and night at his desk and writes and reads and postmarks and bosses around. And second – I dun't think anybody wuld want to date such one as me at all."  
>"Why do you think so?" Lucy blinked in confusion.<br>Gru stopped and looked to his side, way past her, but for her it felt nevertheless as if he was looking at her face.  
>"Are yu kiddin'? I'm blind. And old. And above all, I'm not dhe most pleasant sight."<p>

Lucy gulped. Never in this world had she ever wanted to touch someone, to hug him and simply tell him what she thought of him. And without thinking, her arms reached for him and looped around his huge back and she pressed herself against him. Her chin rested on his shoulder, her eyes closed. She didn't care if he would push her away. She just needed this. And maybe he needed it too. Gru was stiff as a plank board, surprised by the sudden body-contact she was giving him. Was she – hugging him? Why that? And why did it actually feel good and he didn't even dare to raise his arms and push her away from him.  
>A few moments she just clung to him and he let it happen until he heard her voice next to his ear:<br>"Gru, you're a great person. You're a bit grumpy, true. And rough above, but nevertheless – any woman would be happy to date you."  
>She bit her lip by the last sentence and forced a smile. "And you're not ugly. Or hideous. Or an unpleasant sight. You're handsome, just the way you are."<br>Gru nearly forgot how to breathe. His eyes were saucer and he was still shocked by the hug, until he slowly placed his hands mechanically and without thinking on top of lucy's back.  
>"U-Uhm…thanks…" he mumbled, awkwardly.<br>Lucy pulled back and looked into his eyes, and his own were looking somewhere else, probably. But she didn't mind. She smiled at him.  
>"Now don't think anything else from yourself, hm?"<br>"Uh…s-sure…" he nodded and gulped.  
>And with that, both of them returned to their former activities.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

At the end of the day, Lucy sat at the kitchen-table, filling Gru's plate with his dinner. They silently ate while Lucy looked around the kitchen. Hopefully Gru wouldn't notice that she took the knives away from the ceiling and stored them in the cupboards. Anything else was placed neatly on top of them, just so far that she or he could reach it. Lucy had decided to raise the topic of him being a villain. It had no use hiding it anymore. She knew about him, and she was sure he was aware of her knowledge as looked over to him, nibbling silently on her broccoli, before she took a deep breath and cleared her throat. No reaction. She did the same sound a bit louder than before. Gru stopped eating for a moment.  
>"Vhat?" he asked annoyed.<br>"Well, uhm – uh, your house is…really great, you know? I have never seen or been in such a great, huge mansion."  
>Gru gave a small grunt, before he continued chopping the vegetables away from the meat beneath. "How old is it?"<br>"Vhat?"  
>"The house."<p>

Gru's shoulders slumped down. "A bit older dhan me."- "How old are you anyway?"  
>"Became fifty-four last month…" he chewed silently on.<br>"Wow, so, this house isn't that old?"  
>Gru shrugged his shoulders. "If yu think over fifty years ain't dat old, dhen yu're probably dhe only one thinkin' so…"<br>"Well, maybe…" she chuckled softly, looking outside the window for a few seconds.  
>"I also think your work as a villain is awesome, compared to other people, so…"<br>Gru's head suddenly jerked up, eyes roaming around. Lucy looked back at him. "What's wrong?"  
>"Yu-know?" he muttered off-guard.<br>"Know what, sir?" – "Da-dat I'm a-villain, I mean."  
>"Oh! Hahaha, of course I do! I mean, who hasn't heard of the great and glorious Gru who stole the New York Time-Squares Jumbo-tron? Or the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower – well, mostly the Las Vegas version, but nevertheless. And who stole the armor of Charlemagne? And the shroud of Turin? And the Mona Lisa? And –"<br>"Yu _KNOW_ about dis?!" Gru gasped, but then he cleared his throat and continued in a lower voice: "I mean – uh, yes, yes uhm, dat was me, indeed. Jus' – how du yu know about me?" he asked and Lucy chuckles softly. Her voice was angel-like this moment and it sent a shiver down Gru's spine as she answered:

"I know you since I was a little child."

Gru's eyes widened slightly, white pupils scanning the air as if he was looking into her face. He could notice that she was smiling at him.  
>"Yu...du?" he asked, slightly insecurely.<br>"Yes, I do. You see, the first time I saw you in the news, you were kind of always there. I loved criminal stories; not that I support such behavior actually, but when I saw in the news about anything missing, I knew it was you. And I grew up to become quite a fan of you, you know…"  
>She blushed, furiously, hunching her shoulders. Good thing he wouldn't see her.<br>"When I heard your name in the TV or read it in the paper, I was engulfed by what they said about you and your crimes and it was so thrilling and exciting…I mean – I was young back then, innocence of a child. But even as I grew up, I always stayed a huge fan of you. I built my own Gru-club back in school, oh dear. I still remember the weird faces of my classmates when they heard I was a fan of you, actually." She almost didn't dare to look back at him, but she could hear him laugh softly. "They said…that I would have a crush on you and would marry you, and stuff, and that we would be like Bonnie and Clyde, running through the cities and steal and gamble and all that jazz. And through you and some endless nights of watching james bond movies, I decided I wanted to become an agent. To fight the criminals, but admire their work. To fight for justice, but marvel at the deeds. I know, this makes no sense, but—it's what my life marked."  
>She smiled, innocently, hoping he wouldn't think of her as a freak.<br>"It does make sense…" he suddenly said and nodded briefly. "It's strange, but – it makes sense, yes."  
>Lucy sighed and smiled at him, but of course she knew he wouldn't notice anyway.<br>"Are yu smilin'…?" he asked suddenly, and Lucy blinked, before nodding. "Yes, I am."  
>"Good." Gru nodded. A few more minutes of silence filled the room.<p>

Gru didn't know how to feel. The woman sitting next to him was obviously his biggest fan. He had a fan taking care of him. Somehow he hoped she was not some sort of crazy stalker, who just waited for her chance to fake her identity to be closer to him. But honestly, he doubted that. She was not that clingy-kind of fan, he figured, and that was good. She also made sure he would eat enough and won't harm himself. That was good too.  
>Lucy was relieved that Gru reacted this way to her confession. This could have gone into a totally different direction – he could have killed her. Take her as a hostage. Anything. But no – he was okay with it. She continued eating, but soon noticed that Gru was apparently full. He wasn't eating any more, simply eyed the space behind her head with his dull eyes.<br>And then he suddenly extended a hand towards her.  
>"Lucy…?" he asked. And it was the first ever that he had spoken towards her by her first name. "Yes…Gru?" she asked, watching his hand approaching her.<p>

"Can I…uhm…can I…**_see_** yu?" he asked timidly, holding his flat palm in the air. Lucy understood.  
>Her mouth shaped an 'o' form and she chuckled as she felt her cheeks burning.<br>"Oh…hehe, of course you can, Gru."  
>She took his hand with both of her tiny ones and guided it towards her face, placing his fingers gently against her cheek. Gru stayed like this for several seconds before he stated roaming his fingers over her face, gently, so he wouldn't hurt her. Fingertips ran over her cheeks, and up to her nose, sensing that it was big. Not as big as his own, triangular-shaped. He ran his fingers up over her forehead and down again, feeling her brows brushing against his fingers and over her eyelids. Big eyes, round and gentle.<br>"Vhat eyecolor du yu have…?"  
>"U-Uhm…G-Green." She responded, and Gru nodded. His face was staring at the table, away from hers. She knew that before his incident, he had blue, sky blue eyes, beautiful and shining like stars. His fingers continued running over the tip of his nose and down to her lips, gently brushing the soft skin there. Lucy's heart jumped and pounded loudly and she let out a short, shaky breath. But he didn't stay there long. Her lips were thin, but as delicate as a cloud, and it spooked him to stay on this spot, so he moved up, up, up her jawline until he touched something even softer. Hair. With utter fascination, his hand held onto the streak of hair he had found and ran his finger along it.<br>"Red…?" he asked suddenly and Lucy stammered: "W-wha—What?"  
>"Yu got red hair, dun't yu?" he helped her along.<br>"Ho-How do you know-?"  
>"Red hair is always a bit – curly. And has a different structure dhan black, brown or blonde hair…"<br>Lucy's lip quivered. My god, this man was a miracle…

Gru seemed to grew more confident as his hand raked through the hair into the bun she had tied at the end of her head. Gru smiled mildly as he found the curly tufts, somehow he managed to flick the bun open and her hair fell down to her shoulders. He pulled his hand away in surprise, but soon enough dived it back into the mane of red, curly, thick hair. Lucy shuddered on her entire body. What she had down to him some days ago was now done to her – he touched her like he never touched her before. And feeling how slowly and savoring Gru moved his hand through her hair, she knew he enjoyed it. Her eyes fluttered close and the breath she held in her throat escaped her lips in something like a sigh, but it rather sounded like a very silent moan.  
>She opened her eyes again in a sort of shock, but Gru wasn't as startled about the sound she emitted as she was. His eyes still scanned over the table-surface, while his hand played around with her locks. Something animated her to lift both her arms, gently and almost inconspicuously cupping his face on each side and lifting his head to look at her. And he did. Eyes slowly traveled up, until they stood still, looking back at her. The moment he looked into her eyes, she gasped silently, and suddenly an unbeatable urge inside her rose to kiss him. She had fallen in love with his eyes, may they be useless or not. She had fallen in love with the way he walked, talked, moved and growled and was angry with her. She had fallen in love with his stubbornness and his soft moments. She had fallen in love with his touch and his caressing way of feeling her. She had fallen in love with the fact that gru understood her. And she had fallen in love with the fact that he wanted to see her. Her. The bothersome woman that was sneaking around his house and giving him commands what to do and not, who annoyed him and irritated him.<br>She had fallen in love with this man. So much, it was painful. And when she looked into his eyes, she felt like it was killing her.  
>Gru gulped, his hand stopped, and all he did was staring back at her, directly into her eyes. He must feel it too, for he never broke eyecontact. For a second, Lucy wouldn't bet he was blind at all, the way he seemed to actually look at her, it was so real, so…wonderful. Her heart pounded so fast, it felt like it almost flew out of her chest.<p>

But a voice inside her heard stopped her from closing the few inches between them. No. Lucy, no. This is not right. This is not about him. Or about you. This is about your mission.  
>Lucy's hands flopped down and away from him, and also he drew back from her, his arm behind his back. They turned away from each other and Lucy and he spend another few minutes in awkward silence. How could she be so foolish? All this time, she was doing nothing but pampering him, taking care of him, worrying about his wellbeing and forget anything around forgot about the mission. About Silas. About the promotion she hoped and wished for. She needed this job. She can't let her heart once again take over and ruin anything. She swallowed hardly and looked back at Gru. He seemed as if nothing happened and continued eating his already cold meal. Well, at least he was not bothered by such problems. But, of course – he had other to take care of…<br>"I'll be going home now." She told Gru, who didn't respond. "I'll be back at eleven. Okay?"  
>Gru still didn't respond.<br>She waited a few seconds, before she swallowed again, grabbing her purse and vanishing in the hallway, taking her coat and swiftly waking outside and into her car.


	7. Chapter 7

"Gru? Gru are you home?"

Lucy closed the door behind her and put the spare keys gru gave her in case he was 'working' and wouldn't hear her back in the pocket of her coat. She had waited over ten minutes now in the cold evening outside of his house and even though the lights were on, he seemed to be gone. But where should he go? He was incapable to see where he was even going. And they had promised each other to only go out when they were with each other. For a walk for example. To the coffee-shop or grocery shopping. He showed her the small coffee house he was getting his breakfast from everyday to the day he went blind. And she allowed him, after months, to freeze the large queue in front of them with his freezeray.  
>But what if he was angry with her for not showing up the entire day? She was six hours late, that's true. Her beloved cat Mr. Lincoln died this morning, a car rolled over him. Of course, she had a reason to delay her visit at his house.<p>

And she missed to inform him – but was this truly a reason for this man to go outside and leave, without orientation or defense?  
>What if he walked on the street and got hit by a car? What if someone robbed him out and harmed him? What if he was lost and didn't know what to do or who to ask? Of course he had started to become way more independent during the last few months, but definitely not enough yet to survive outside there without knowing where he was going. Lucy started to panic. This was not good! What if something serious happened to him and it was HER fault? She was about to turn around and leave again to get into her car and drive through Pasadena, hoping to find him, unharmed, as she suddenly heard a noise upstairs. She didn't know from which the many doors up there this sound was coming from. It sounded like a static noise, muffled by doors. Lucy didn't care where to look first, she simply rushed up the stairs and opened all doors in a row. The first was a small chamber with a large vacuum cleaner inside. The next door was the bedroom. Empty. Next door – another closet.<br>Next door – the weapon-cabin with three large empty bombs hanging on the walls, with blue-prints and stolen paintings and arms.

And next door – a mild veil of hot steam and a person standing in the middle of the room, dropping something to the ground. Lucy froze once she noticed it was him, shedding himself from his red bathrobe, the tub full with warm water, his shoulders already bare but as soon as the door opened and the cold air from outside the heated room rushed inside, Gru stopped and slowly turned his head to look over his shoulder.  
>"Lucy…" he muttered.<br>"Y-Yes…h-how do you know it's me?"  
>"Yur heartbeat. I can hear it."<p>

Lucy gulped. Yes, his ears were indeed better than she had expected. Not only this, but Gru always answered the same when she asked how he knew it was her who woke him up, or stood in front of his door, or interrupted him while he was just about to take a bath. He turned his head around again and started undressing slowly.  
>"Vhere have yu been…?" he asked. It was hard to define if he was angry or not.<br>"Gru, I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to show up that late. My cat, you know, Mr. Lincoln. He was rolled over by a car today."  
>"Vhat a shame…" Gru muttered.<br>"Well…yes. It's alright though, I-I didn't pay attention and left the window open."  
>She sighed with slight relief, dropping off her like a stone.<br>"I was so worried."  
>Vhy?"Lucy bit her lip as he dropped the robe completely and sunk into the warm, relaxing water. Not, of course, without Lucy taking a glance at his naked body in front of her. He was way muscular than she had remembered him to be. And his skin seemed to be so soft, and warm and huggable – in her eyes, he never looked old or aged, let alone would she have thought he was already over fifty years old. He still had the body of a young, healthy man and the stamina of a fit person. And – wow – she was sure from this day on she was so into male's behinds. Especially his. Her heart pounded loudly and her face grew hot, but definitely not from the steam around her.<p>

"Lucy…" Gru mumbled, a bit louder.  
>"U-Uh – huh?"<br>"I asked vhy yu were worried."  
>"O-Oh." Lucy fiddled around with her fingers.<br>"I was…uhm…" trying to keep her stuttering under control, she kept clearing her throat and her blushing ebbed. "I was, uh, I though, uh – I thought you ran away or something. B-Because I missed going for a walk with you today."  
>"It's okay…" Gru mumbled and dove deeper into the hot water. A few minutes of awkwardness lingered and Lucy simply stared back at him, at his arms hanging out of the tub and fumbled around with the hem of his shirt that laid on the ground.<br>"Do you, uhm – want some privacy, maybe?"  
>"No." Gru shook his head. "Please stay."<br>Lucy of course agreed and sat down on the toilet seat next to the tub and next to him. Over his shoulder, she could barely see his chest and his legs beneath the stirred water. She felt sort of guilty, staring at his bare form without him knowing. Lucy bet he would blush and try to hide if he would see her, after all, he had problems with being touched pretty much. But some things were simply necessary and modesty wouldn't be an excuse anymore. "I wuldn't have run away on my own." Gru said after a while, raising a hand to run the water over his shoulder and arms like he was trying to clean actual dirt and dust off his body. "Jus' so yu know."  
>"I know…" Lucy nodded and smiled, watching him. "Ain't yu sad about yur puss?"<br>"Yes, I – I am. I had him since I was still a kid. My mom gave him to me shortly before she died, as a present for my new apartment…but…he was old and useless anyway. He barely stayed home. He just came to eat or spend rainy days inside my flat." - "Yur modher died?" Gru asked. "Both my parents." Lucy explained. "Vhat happened?" – "A car were about to pick me up from sports and…well…it was raining, storming. And after hours, a call came to my teacher. Both my parents died instantly."

"I see…" Gru mumbled. And then once again, both stayed silent. Gru wouldn't notice but Lucy admired the way the water cascaded off his skin in small pearls and seeing it growing darker and redder from the warmth of the water. She was aching to touch. Just to feel the warmth of his bare skin on her hand. Just to satisfy her curiosity of how he felt against her palm. Her eyes scanned the surroundings and found a sponge, extending her arm to grab it and gently put it down into the water to soak it up with soap. The man next to her cringed in surprise, but calmed down once she soothed him with a low: "Shh."-sound. Placing her one hand on his shoulder, she gently pressed him forwards so he could reveal her his back to clean him. He hesitantly gave in, sitting up for her to reach the places he could not wash. Lucy gently pressed the sponge on his shoulder blade and started scrubbing slowly and with care, still holding onto him. His body had started to absorb the warmth of the water around him, making Lucy smile and give a little sigh in contentment about how warm and soft he felt. It was nothing compared to the fabric of the sweater he wore, or the scarf around his neck.

"I never really knew my parents…" he said after a while. Lucy looked up and back at him. "Why? I mean – how?"  
>"My dad left my modher when I vas still a kid. I never saw him again. And my modher – well, I dun't know what exactly happened to her, but from dis day on, it was hard to come near her at all."<p>

Lucy nodded. She had heard stories about her from him, not many, but a few – and she could imagine what kind of person she must be. But she wouldn't judge her, after all her husband left her alone with a little boy who dreamed of nothing else but to be an astronaut. Internally, she had wished to meet him before. To befriend him. To talk about his dreams and plans of the future. Then he wouldn't have to be alone. Maybe then he wouldn't have to be a villain now. Maybe then he wouldn't have to fight this other criminal and lose his eyesight…  
>Pity once again rose inside her and she kept rubbing her palm against his back with small, comforting patterns. Gru hunched his shoulders slightly, but he seemed to like it enough to let her do whatever she wanted to do to him. The silence that lingered was longer than any other pause they had between the two of them. And for the first time it didn't feel awkward at all. Lucy continued to clean his back and arms while she gently massaged his shoulder and from time to time, she could hear him moan slightly from the tension she loosened from his body.<p>

Her heart pounded louder and faster and her hands shook slightly. He was so close, bare naked next to her and she was allowed to touch. it felt nice and she enjoyed it more than she would admit. But there was something on her mind she wanted to ask him. He probably would not like it, and maybe he hoped she had dropped this topic by now – but no, she needed to know.  
>"Gru…?" she asked softly. "Hm?" - "How…how did this happen…?"<br>Gru's head twisted to look over his shoulder. "Vhat are yu talkin' about?"  
>"How did…this happen…with your eyes… I mean." she asked again. He stayed silent upon her question, for almost a minute.<br>"I—I only heard about a fight. Between you and someone. Can you – tell me what happened? Please?"  
>He was pondering – should he tell her about what happened? Tell her the name of the villain who did this to him? She already knew way too much for his liking, her knowledge of his true identity alone was gravely dangerous. If nefario would hear about someone else knowing about his job, he would flip out and put all plans on a hold – or even burn them.<p>

But after all what she did for him, support him, help him along and being there for him, he figured she deserved to know…  
>He sighed, his shoulders hunching and slumping down again. It was hard remembering the day it happened and all he wished for was to forget it. But how was that possible anyway if he was reminded every day, every minute what this bastard did to him?<br>"It was some months ago – a young villain who jus' recently claimed to have stolen an monument nobody wuld ever be able to take away, was implyin' dat he was dhe better villain of dhe entire league, even better dhan me. Many of dhese greenhorns immediately regretted dheir words once dhey met me, naturally. But at dat time I thought it wuld not be worth dhe time to fight about it – after all I had better things to do. It was natural dat I'm dhe better one. After all – I'm dhe greatest criminal mastermind of dhe century, nobody beats my amount of crimes and thefts I did around dhese thirty years of livin' a life vith one foot standin' in prison. However, one day he threatened me to prove him personally dat I was truly worth dhe title of dhe greatest villain alive – odherwise he wuld steal and publish my most secret plans I was schemin' at dat point. So, I agreed to meet him. And show him vith whom he was messin' vith."  
>Gru closed his eyes slowly, taking in a breath once lucy's hand, holding the sponge was dipping into the water, washing along his entire spine.<br>"I - I fought him. But he was faster. No matter vhat I did, he seemed to be holdin' dhe upper hand. Vell, at least to dhe point vhere I beat dhe livin' daylights outta dis punk. I thought I had won, but – " he gulped. "He was up again on his feet before I culd react – holdin' a knife in his hand. All I still remember was dhe moment he was lungin' – and dhen everythin' went…black."

The room filled with shocked silence. Lucy bit her lip as she stopped all her movements to look back at him. Now she knew how the scar had come on his face in the first place. And how much he truly must have suffered back then.  
>She almost didn't dare to ask, but with shaky voice, she whispered:"<br>"W-Wha-what was his name?" Gru looked back over his shoulder before sighing.  
>"He called himself Vector…"<br>Vector. Lucy never heard of that name before, nor did she know this man existed in the villain league. He had left no criminal files in the AVL. And lucy knew them by heart."What…happened to him? And where is he now?"  
>"I dun't know." Gru said, and shrugged. "I jus' made sure he wuld never, ever dare to talk about me again. And if he should, it would only be in fear. In panic. He shuld know dat I culd get him anyvhere, anytime. And apparently he remembered it. Never heard of him ever again…"<br>"Di-did you-?" Lucy stammered. "No..." Gru shook his head. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he was close to kill someone. The moment he realized his eyes were useless to him and that only he, vector, was the one who caused his misery, he was close to actually do it. To put him down. To simply grab his gun, hold it against his head and pull the trigger. To him, he was not worth living anymore - yet he didn't. He let him go. if it was good or bad, that didn't matter to him anymore. But now, he might felt that he regretted his decision, to let him escape.

Gru huffed. Thinking about this was definitely not brightening up his mood, so he put his hands on the edges of the tub and slowly rose out of the water. Lucy acted quickly and looked around for a towel she could throw around his hips and dry him. Grabbing the clean, big towel, she unfolded it, reached towards his hips, holding it out flatly so she would not spot any private areas of him and held it against his skin to let the water run down into the fabric to be caught. Gru accepted it without any gainsay. He just stood there, water dripping off his body, while lucy took care of rubbing the wetness off of him. Usually, he hated people. He hated their behaviors and how dumb and manipulative they were. he hated their faces and their smiles and their laughter and everything that would disturb that stern glance on their heads. To him, the world was filled with idiots - and out of any stupid reason, they were sociable too. Always curious and eager to make body contact - no, he gladly rejected such behavior towards him. But with her, it felt strange. Different. Almost enjoyable. Maybe it was the fact she had been around him a while already and most of the time she was taking care of the lousy jobs around his house, and it was nearly impossible avoiding her, for she always seemed to find him and wanted to talk. Or maybe it was the fact that he stood naked in front of a woman, who was - by the way he could hear her breathing very close to his body - standing very close to him to rub the towel all over him. He blushed; and tried to look away, but where to? She already started circling him to clean his spine and shoulders. He shivered, pleasantly surprised by how good it felt to be touched after so many years. A second later though, he felt scared, scared to accept that he liked having such contact with her. Her tiny hands wandering up his back and to his shoulders to squeeze them slightly made him just repress a few content moans. He needed anything - ANYTHING - to distract him right now, before he would lose himself.

"Vhy are yu doin' dis for me...?"  
>Lucy looked up from the side of his shoulder to his face. He was not looking at her, this time he didn't even try to locate her to look in her face. "Do what?" she asked curiously. "Vhy are yu doin' - dis for me? Takin' care of me and doin' dhe chores and make dinner and all dat stuff - i didn't do anythin' for yu to return dhe favor - and i'm a villain, a criminal. If dhey wuld find out about an accomplice, dhey wuld hunt yu down just as well. So - vhy?"<br>Lucy stopped for a moment to look back at him. Why? He really asked why? Lucy could count a million reasons. One of them was because she was selfless. And that she liked to help him. Of course, the other was for the mission, which she had forgotten completely by now. And there were still way to many reasons. She smiled, her smile grew into a faint chuckle. Gru creased his face irritated. "Vhat's so funny?"  
>"Gru..." she rested her hand on his cheek to make him look back at her. And he did. they didn't really make eye-contact, but lucy kept staring at him anyway.<br>"Do you really ask why i do this...?" "-yes." Gru nodded and cocked his head to the side, not sure why this was so obvious. Maybe concerning social manners, he was not correctly informed about other peoples selflessness - even if he knew there were just few people who actually were like _her.  
><em>Lucy herself felt a strange knot forming in her guts. This was the perfect moment, a chance to confess it. But how would he react? after all, it still didn't seem like he actually was fond of her at all. But she had to risk it. Her mouth was dry and it felt so hard to speak this out, yet she kept her smile.

"Isn't that obviously...?"  
>Gru blinked. Now he understood. His chest suddenly felt as heavy as a stone, and then the next second as light as a feather. His heartbeat nearly skipped a beat as it pounded faster than ever before. Lost with words or how to react on this, his eyes searched around the room, for anything, anything to hold on to and tell him that this was just a very bad joke, or a dream. Instead, something inside him wanted only one thing: to say it back. But he couldn't. Even thinking about it turned his stomach around and made him dizzy and his hands sweaty and his knees weak. He quivered slightly, biting his lip. Out of any reason, he extended his hand, wanted to touch her and see her again to hope there was anything that would answer her question without answering himself. He grabbed something. something soft and familiar. Hair. Curly, red locks swirling around his fingertip. It soothed his nerves. And brought his heart down from his fast beating. It relaxed him and gave him comfort. Lucy stared back into his eyes with unease in her eyes. She knew this was a bad idea. he was going to be mad, terribly mad. But the moment he grabbed her lock to play around with it, her breath hitched in her throat.<p>

Time itself seemed to stop in this particular moment as they stared at each other, with her hand on the side of his face and his fingers fiddling with strands of her hair. Lucy was still not sure what this sign would mean to her. Did he feel the same? Or did he simply despise her and played pity? Did she break him with telling him? She couldn't tell, all Gru did was staring somewhere and holding her hair. Her hand still rested on his cheek, her fingers gently started to run over his cheekbones and caressed his soft skin with such tenderness that she felt him shiver in her palm. Should she dare it? Before she could think further, he closed his eyes, his free hand resting on top of hers, and with a weary sigh, he leaned his head in her palm. This moment was worth anything, at least Lucy thought so. and when he opened his eyes again to stare directly into hers, she thought her heart would explode. But just seconds later, Gru's hand dropped from hers and let go of her hair, eyes roaming away from her.  
>"Yu shuld go now..." he mumbled. Lucy blinked, her hand slipped powerlessly away from his face. Shocked, she stared back at him before she gulped and nodded, turning away from him to grab her purse and coat and rush out of the bathroom and out of the mansion, with a tear in her eye.<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

Something was fishy here. Something was definitely not right. Gru frowned the second he exited the elevator to his lab, knowing exactly that there was something different. He didn't hear minions talking, didn't hear minions working, running around on the metallic floor with their little boots, no eager, happy cheering once Gru appeared or instant update on how the work on the rocket was going.

What a way to start the day. It already has been hard enough for him to fall asleep last night, or wake up in the morning, without thinking about what happened the night before. About what Lucy had told him when he asked why she did this for him.  
>"Isn't that obviously…?"<br>God, it was driving him mad. Any second Gru spend this day, going from waking up – "Isn't that obviously?" – to brushing his teeth – "Isn't that obviously?" – to getting dressed, breakfast, walking the dog and cleaning up the front yard- "Isn't that obviously?"  
>He shouldn't have let her stay in the same room with him that evening. Then this would not have happened. Then he would not have asked, and she would not have answered. Why in heavens name did she have to say this? What was she even thinking? Love? No, she was not in love with him, definitely, just as much as he was not in love with her! She was naïve, he knew that, but she could not possibly be that naïve to fall in love with a criminal. A villain! Gru, the greatest mastermind of the century does not fall in love.<br>He hoped work would distract him from this. And after work, he would call her and tell her to never come back to pester him again. Yes, that sounded like a good plan.  
>Standing in the elevator, Gru yet couldn't help and think about what it even was that would be loveable about him. Definitely not his occupation. And his appearance? No. For a while he thought that perhaps he should send her to Nefario, just to make sure she was not terribly ill and confused, or suffered from helper syndrome. And then he once again remembered – no, he should not see her again. It doesn't matter what she did for him and how nice it was; he was done with her. He definitely didn't need her and her lovey dovey feelings around him and -<p>

"Isn't that obvious?"  
>He gulped. Lucy was in love with him. And he couldn't even say why. Sure, she was a fan, she knew him ever since he became a villain at all. But when did this happen? When did she start having feelings for him? And what was it that made her fall in love with him. There was nothing that was handsome or nice about him. He was old, and disabled too. She knows exactly that he would never ever see her face anyway and yet she let it happen. She let it happen that she fell in love with him. Isn't that obvious…?<p>

The door opened and Gru knew instantly that something was wrong. Normally, the minions would make a lot of noises and sounds when carrying the items for the rocket around the lab or used their tools to screw things together, not to mention that they dropped a few bombs occasionally.  
>With a frown, that slowly turned into an angry furrow, he stepped outside the elevator and looked around, hoping to find a passing minion he could yell at.<br>"Uh—hey! Yu! Stuart!"  
>He pointed his hand at some place on the ground and heard the minion mumbled: "Galadiku Phil."<br>"Vhatever – Phil! Vhat is goin' on here? I can't hear anyone of yu workin'!"  
>But all he received was a resigned "Pff" and a shrug from the worker before he walked past his boss.<br>Gru was flabbergasted. How dare he? He was his boss, he had to do what he told him – and he just shrugged it off? Not with him!  
>"Hey, Phil, yu come back here, dis instant!"<br>And he just dashed into any direction, extending his hand and grabbing the next thing he would find. A loud yelp in sheer shock followed.  
>"Listen Phil, I will not tolerate dis-"<br>"No, nonono! Gilakubi Bob! Gilakubi Boooob!"  
>he felt the minion frantically waving his limbs around and Gru dropped him. Maybe he could tell him what was going on here.<br>"Bob, vhy are yu not workin'? Vhy is nobody here workin'?"  
>"Ahh, eh, nilagupi, uhhm…" the minion started with a nervous chuckle. And Gru's eyes narrowed.<br>"Uhh, ta bi-big boss, sela di a-"

"Gru." Suddenly a voice interrupted the stammering minion. Gru lifted his head. It was nefario's voice.  
>"Nefario, vhat is goin' on here!?" he hissed. "Dhe minions are not workin' and we only have a month left until dhe moon is in dhe optimal position! We can't allow any distractions now!"<br>"Gru…" the doctor said again, his voice dead serious. "Would'cha – please talk to me for a moment?"  
>He honestly would appreciate if somebody would finally tell him what was happening here, yet he shrugged and followed his co-workers voice.<br>"Gru, uhm…" Nefario mumbled and Gru stopped walking. " 'ow should I say this. We have decided to make – changes in our plans."  
>"Changes -" Gru repeated irritated. "Without tellin' me, huh?"<br>"We wanted to, I swear, but – we weren't sure how ye were going to react. "  
>Gru's serious glance started to soften up. What was going on here? What was it what they would tell him that would make him probably angry?<br>"Gru, uhm – I have seen what great progress you made regarding your abilities to see without your eyes – ye should definitely thank this girl that was taking care of ye." Nefario nervously rolled the plans in his hand. "But what I meant to tell you is – I don't it is enough for…you know…a trip to the moon."  
>"Wait – yu're tellin' me yu dun't wanna continue dhe—"<br>"Yes Gru. We will stop building the rocket. Please don't think we did this because we thought you wouldn't be able to, but – it's for your own safety."  
>Gru didn't even listen. This was a joke, right? This was a very very bad joke and he hoped they would bring a cake in the next few seconds with a minion jumping out of it, yelling "We're just kidding gru, we're going to finish this rocket and fulfill your childhood dream to go to the moon and steal it and become the greatest villain of all time."<br>But it didn't happen. Gru's knees became weak, too weak to keep him standing straight on the floor.  
>"I'm sorry Gru, I'm really –"<br>"Doctor, please tell me yu're kiddin'. Please, yu can't be serious! I am able to fly to dhe moon, I AM!"  
>"No, sadly ye not."<br>Gru gulped down the anger that built inside him.  
>"As I said, I do this for ye own good and not -"<br>"WE WILL NOT BREAK UP DIS PLAN, OR YU ALL CAN LEAVE DIS HOUSE!" Gru growled so loud, the entire lab was awake and aware. With fire burning in his eyes, he stared back at Nefario.  
>"Yu will finish dis rocket and we will go to dhe moon, even if its dhe last thing I'll do!"<br>"Gru, we will put all the plans on hold. Remember that ye not the leader of dis mission, but me – and if I say dis mission is aborted, then it will be aborted."  
>That was enough for Gru. He turned around, and without saying a last word, he stormed off to the elevator.<p>

...

Lucy sat in her car and stared out of the window. Her small blue Trabant stood close to the bay, the place she was dropped off some moments ago. She was supposed to return to him. But would she dare to? How? After all, he seemed upset the other day about what she told him – how was he probably going to react when she came back to his house once again? She could imagine that he never ever wanted to see her again. She shouldn't have told him. It was wrong. It was more than wrong. It was foolish. He didn't even like her, what was she expecting? That he was going to say the same, hug her and kiss her? He, Gru, the villain, the criminal, her idol that treated her like she was just another human being he didn't want to be around with?  
>She gulped. Was he really thinking this of her? That she was just replaceable? After all the things she did for him and all the things they said to each other? The secrets they shared? Their worlds they opened to each other? He even wanted to see her. And was okay with her touching him.<br>Was that all meaning nothing?

She tried to repress her tears once again, as she looked on her phone. Dammit, it was already late again. He would definitely not let her in now.  
>But she had to try. So she started her car and drove off to the street, through the city to the suburban neighborhood and parked in front of the house. His blue little dog that stood always in front of the house was just giving her a short glance and made a huffing noise when she walked past him to the door. He knew her by now and didn't care much for her. She still didn't know his name – but his food bowl read "Kyle."<br>With shaky hands, Lucy put her hand in her pocket to find the key and slowly put it in the keyhole. Oh dear. Should she really do this?  
>She had to. She had to clear things and possibly say goodbye forever. So, she turned around the key – and as the door opened and he looked inside, her heart nearly skipped a beat in shock. Gru was sitting on the floor, face buried in his hands, back leaned against the wall.<p>

She gasped and dropped the keys, and without thinking, she rushed towards him.  
>"Gru!" she yelped, sitting down, trying to pry his hands away from his hand.<br>"Gru, Gru, what happened, are you hurt? Gru, look at me, please!"  
>And he did. His hands dropped of his face and she could see tears running out of his pale, with sadness filled eyes. He was crying. He was actually crying. The man that was rude and blunt and ruthless all the times she saw him was crying.<br>Lucy's heart broke into shards upon seeing him like this. She didn't know what happened. But it broke him on a level that it was terrifying.  
>"Gru…"<br>She extended her arms to wrap them around him, and after a few attempts to push her away, he let her finally hug her. She hugged him tightly, holding his head against her shoulder, rocking gently back and forth. She didn't dare to ask what happened. Maybe his mom died? No, that was no reason for him to cry. She seriously didn't know and she was not sure if this was the right moment to ask. She just held him in her arms, and he buried his face in her shoulder, holding onto her back like it was the only thing that would keep him from falling into an abyss.  
>She stroked over his back like soothing a little child. "Gru…what happened…?" she whispered after a while. Gru didn't reply for a few minutes, until he let out a faint sigh.<br>"M-My…my plans…" he mumbled. "My only dream vas to fly to dhe moon. To grab him and take him back with me. Dat's all I ever vanted…"  
>He paused again, and she heard him gulping heavily.<br>"I thought - I thought I culd live vith dis, I thought I dun't need nobody's help jus' because I'm blind…but…" he stopped again. For at least five minutes. Lucy just kept holding him, hugging him tightly, running her hand over his back and head and waiting until he would feel better again.  
>"Lucy…" he suddenly mumbled.<br>"I'm here, Gru, I'm here…don't worry…"

Gru slowly moved away from her, looking back at her, straight into her eyes. Lucy looked back, her hands still resting on his forearms.  
>"Do yu ever feel lonely…", he suddenly asked with a low, weak voice. "…even vhen yu're around people?"<br>Lucy opened her mouth to respond, but she couldn't. She didn't know why he said this. She really didn't. But fact was that she did exactly know what this feeling was.  
>"Yes…" she nodded, resting her palm on his cheek.<p>

It was so odd. Normally eye contact between the two of them reminded just ten seconds maximum. But he had started into her eyes now for almost two minutes straight. And then, suddenly, she saw his hands moving up to her face, holding her jaw with both hands and coming so close, leaning down to her – and he kissed her. She felt his lips on hers. Lucy was shocked, frozen to the spot, she forgot to breathe and her heart to beat for at least two beats before it started pounding so loudly that she nearly could feel it in her throat.  
>She still held her face in his hands and desperately hanging on her lips. Just seconds later, Lucy's eyes fluttered close and she responded with kissing him deeper, hands holding onto his short nape.<p>

She heard herself giving a few little sighs and moans whenever they parted shortly to breath for air and she could hear him do the same, humming in contentment. At some time, the need for air was so big, they parted to soak in a gulp of air, staring deep into each other's eyes once again.  
>He was so beautiful, so soft and gentle and the way his eyes looked straight into hers…another tear rolled down his cheek, as pale and shining as his own pupils and Lucy caught it with her thumb, brushing it away. Just seconds later, and Gru had drawn her back into a deep and long kiss, desperately brushing his tongue over her lower lip and asking for entrance, which she granted him. A low moan escaped lucy's mouth as she felt his tongue brushing over hers. She opened her eyes for just a few seconds to see him having his eyes still open to stare back into hers. Soon the sensation took over and Lucy closed her eyes, hands grabbing for his shoulders, just anything to keep her from fainting.<p>

His own held onto her back, his large palm rubbing over her spine to the small of her back and up her ribs again, shoving his hands behind the garment of her coat and gently pushing it over her shoulders. Lucy shivered. Oh no, they were going to do what she was thinking they were going to do, right? This was not right – he was sad and broken and needed comfort, but not this kind of comfort. But no matter how hard she fought with herself to let go of his lips, she couldn't do it. And no matter how hard she tried to keep her prudence over this situation – he already had managed to make her let go of him and brushed the coat off her shoulders, revealing the same blue dress she wore almost daily. Gru's hands grabbed for her bare shoulders, smoothly running his warm hands over her skin, over her shoulders to her neck and she sighed, tilting her head to the side for him.  
>Suddenly, he leaned over to attach his lips on the thin layer of skin, kissing along her nape. Lucy moaned with surprise, holding onto him once again. This was it – her pounding heart and the desire to become one with him won over her senses. She grabbed the zipper of his jacket and pulled it down with a yank, pushing it over his large shoulders and he obliged, dropping it to the floor. His hands found her again, wandered down her body once again until they grabbed onto her rear, making her gasp as he gave it a squeeze.<br>"Gru…" he sighed, baffled by his groping. She loved it.  
>Before she could react though, she suddenly was lifted up, sitting on the man's thighs, his lips still trailing over both her shoulders and sides of her beautiful neck as he managed to stand up, with her holding onto him and her legs swung around his hips. Lucy gasped once she noticed Gru was starting to walk, one arm holding her form tightly against his body, the other fished for the robe that went along the walls and he followed its trail to the stairs, slowly walking up each step with carefulness. Lucy shivered on her entire body. This was just a dream. A beautiful dream.<p>

And any minute she would wake up and she would find herself back in her apartment, ready to drive over to his house and spend the day with him.  
>But she never did wake up. She only sensed she was entering the dark room of his bedroom and was gently placed on his bed before he followed suit, leaning over her and kissing her over and over again. Lucy moaned into his mouth and he responded with a longing sigh, pulling on her dress while she pushed up his sweater. Gru scrambled out of the pullover while Lucy wiggled out of her dress, being left in nothing but her underwear.<br>He leaned back over her, staring past her face. But once Lucy placed her hands on his cheeks and drew his head close to hers, his eyes found hers again. His skin was so soft, so warm. She couldn't help but run her hands over his shoulders and over his firm chest to the few muscles on his belly, and up to his shoulder blades again. So beautifully smooth, she fell in love with all of him all over again.  
>"Lucy…" he mumbled. "Yes?" she asked softly.<br>"Can I…_see_ you?"  
>"Yes."<br>Gru nodded and gulped, before he leaned back down to place soft kisses first on her cheek, and lucy tilted her head to guide his lips back on hers, her arms looping around his neck to keep him close to her. His hands rested first on her naked sides, barely touching, before he grew confident enough to run them over the sides of her upper body and down to her hips again, feeling the smooth skin of her bum against his palm and the mesmerizing length of her legs. He gave a shaky breath.  
>"Yu're so beautiful…" Gru whispered in pure fascination over what he just Lucy sighed in response as she drew him back for a messy kiss. Her fingers drew lazy patterns over his spine and gently raked her fingernails over his back, making him growl lightly in pleasure. She smiled and did the same again, running her nails over him up and down, receiving the same reaction<p>

Growing bolder, she drew her lines until she hit the hard material of his belt, dipping beneath it to feel the softness of his hips and bum. He winced first, but soon relaxed again, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck, breathing heavily against her skin. And this was just the beginning. Nimble finger undid his belt and sunk back into his underwear, feeling the fabric tightened around him and the moment she touched him the first time, she thought her heart would explode. He was soft, and yet firm and it was all because of her. Because of all the things she did for him and him for her. She noticed the grip on both sides on her hips of his hands, tensed once she touched him. She gently rubbed her fingers over him and he shuddered, burying his face further into her skin. Lucy finally grabbed him gently, making him jump a little and gasp, but she just started to move up and down on him, stroking him carefully like he was fragile and valuable. His breathing quickened and he held closer onto her, moaning loudly into the sheets beneath them. It was the most beautiful sound she ever heard. She could stay like this forever, listening to the sounds he makes, feeling his softness on her hands and pressed against her body.  
>"<em>Lucy<em>…" he moaned against her ear, followed by needy pleas to feel her, begging her to let him have her and he promised between kisses against her neck and earlobe that he will be gentle.

Lucy moaned lightly over his voice and simply nodded, unable to speak. What was it that had changed him to be like this to her? Grief? Frustration? Loneliness? It was hard to tell, and she almost felt like they should stop. She didn't want to exploit him - she didn't want him to end this with him hating her, pushing her away, him getting anxious and freaking out completely, him jumping on a plane and never ever come back again. But none of this happened. Just a few seconds later, Gru started undoing her bra and pushing down her panties, eyes roaming over her body like he was frantically trying to locate where she was. Lucy saw him and smiled, gently taking his hand and placing it on top of her exposed breast. The moment he touched the soft roundness, he seemed lost for a moment. Insecure about what to do next. Lucy still kept her hand on top of his, coaxing him into making kneading movements, and he obliged. "Ohh, Gruu..." she howled pleased.  
>"Lucy..." he responded with a deep raw whisper, which eliminated each and every thought in her brain. It wasn't a question, nor a request, he just said her name in such a tone of pure admiration and even if his eyes were not able to see and her imagination could be anywhere right now, he was still aware that this was her he talked to.<p>

The next few moments came so frantically that Lucy couldn't have even done anything to stop it. Both lying unclothed on the bed, him hovering over her and her cupping his head with her hands, they stared at each other for a while, Gru leaning his forehead against hers. "Lucy..." he mumbled. Lucy just hummed an answer, too drunk of love and engulfed in the feeling of his warm body pressing against hers, gently rolling her hips against him and stroking his nape with tenderness. She felt him against the inside of her thigh, making her gulp heavily as she caught her breath with a low, anticipating moan. "Please..." he stated, and he seemed to understand. He nodded his head briefly, leaning down on his forearms and dipping down further, his chest resting on top of hers and her legs looped around his waist, holding onto each other for emotional support, before a harsh pain set in and Lucy cringed, stiffened for a moment, gasping but letting the feeling of shock and pain slide off as she saw the change in his eyes. He never looked away, he just stared down at her, and only her, as if he was looking through damaged eyes and could see her truly.  
>Gru gave a soft sigh, before he leaned his head back against her shoulder, soaked in the scent of her hair and sweat, and listened to her sounds each time he moved.<br>The knot in his guts evaporated into dust and the only feeling that was left was a swirling pool of pleasure. They moved faster against each other, muttering here and there a few words, their names, petnames, or called to a deity as their moans and gasps became regular and louder. Lucy's nails suck into Gru's back and his lips hovered close to her neck, breathing hot air against her ear, shuddering each time they changed their pace.

Lucy suddenly felt she needed to see him. She needed to look into his eyes a last time before everything would stop and probably never happen again. her hands rested on his cheeks as she drew him back to look at her, lips hovering over each other and eyes staring into each others.  
>"Lucy..." he breathed.<br>"Gru...-_ahh_! " she responded, just before the tension snapped and her head dipped back into the pillow with a loud groan, just a few more minutes later he followed, filling the room with both their hoarse breathing and moans. Gru's chest rose and sunk rapidly, his face reddened, eyes shut tight and lips barely parted, as he shuddered so hard even she felt it in her bones. Her hands grabbed for his body and pulled him down, making him slump powerlessly on top of her, with his arms looping instantly around her and his face buried into her shoulder. She wanted to freeze this moment and never leave it again, she wanted to stay with him in this very hug in this very bed where there was nothing but the two of them.  
>After a while, Gru moved off her and back on the sheets, lever letting go of her. How affectionate he suddenly was, how needy for hugs and physical contact. She never thought this was the same man she greeted every day, who didn't even allow her to touch his shoulder.<p>

She just silently moved closer against him again and nuzzled her face into his warm, soft chest. "Lucy...?" he suddenly asked.  
>"Yes, Gru?"<br>"I'm-sorry..." - "For what?" she saw up to his face. "I mean, uh, dat - i mean i shuldn't have - **_we_** shuldn't have, i mean..." he gulped. "I shuldn't have done dis."  
>"Are you regretting it?" - "N-no, but - i feel like i needed to apologize."<br>Lucy smiled. "It's okay, Gru...i don't regret it either. This was really nice, hm? You feeling better?"  
>"A leetle..." he mumbled and drew her close to him again with his hands resting on her spine. They remained in silence for a long while, snuggled into each others arms and lazily running their hands over each others bodies. Until they stopped feeling like they should move out of bed. or away from each other. With each passing minute, being here, naked and imitate became more natural and both felt sleepy and only wanted to rest in the warmth of each others hug. Lucy yawned a last time, before she closed her eyes, her fingers gently running over the soft skin of his chest.<br>"I wish I culd see yu..." Gru suddenly mumbled, giving her forehead a last kiss and sunk into a deep sleep, leaving Lucy awake and with tears in the corner of her eyes.  
>"Oh Gru..." she sighed melancholy. "I wish so too."<p> 


End file.
